Articles

Bad chemistry with one client can disrupt the flow with everyone. That one client who doesn’t follow your processes and messes up the workflow during tax season. The client who never turns things in on time but then wants results from you immediately when they do. These things affect how you interact and work with your other clients as well. As the firm owner we should do whatever we can to protect good chemistry within our business. As a tax advisor the people we work with become our family. We help them make decisions that impact them and their families. That is why firing clients can be a delicate matter when you are doing the firing.

As we head into the 2026 filing season, tax professionals are operating in an environment unlike any we have seen in recent memory: a smaller and more automated IRS, the new OBBBA, and rapid experimentation with AI-enabled tools inside the Service. This field guide is designed to separate what we know for sure from where the IRS is likely to move next, and to translate both into practical planning moves. It does not predict the future; instead, it offers a structured way to think about enforcement, documentation, and client strategy when the rules, the technology, and the politics are all in motion.

I recently attended a two-day marketing workshop that made me think about whether I am effectively communicating with prospects on my websites. I do an annual review of my websites and update them to keep them fresh. According to Forbes’ article “Top Website Statistics for 2025”, there are close to 1.2 billion websites on the internet in 2025, and only 43% of small business owners plan to invest in their website performance. Additionally, 21% of business owners report low website traffic, which can affect attracting and retaining customers, revenue growth, and overall success.